Trend Micro and International Internet Safety Coalition Announce the 2nd Annual 'What's Your Story?' Video Contest

CUPERTINO, Calif., Feb. 8, 2011 /PRNewswire/ -- Trend Micro today announced the 2nd annual "What's Your Story?" video contest, a newly international, user-generated video contest that empowers youth to be leaders in educating others about being safe online. Sponsored and supported by Trend Micro Internet Safety for Kids & Families and a number of participating organizations, the goal of the contest is to help parents, teachers and youth become more aware of Internet safety issues so young people can be safe and responsible online.

Trend Micro Internet Safety for Kids & Families has teamed with some of the world's leading organizations that either provide access to kids online or advocate for their safety. All of them share Trend Micro's vision and commitment toward Internet safety. The judging panel for 2011 includes:

• Childnet International
• Common Sense Media
• ConnectSafely
• Facebook
• The Jennifer Smart Foundation
• Identity Theft Resource Center
• myYearbook
• Net Family News
• Trend Micro
• Web Wise Kids

The contest asks anyone 13 and older, including teachers with their classrooms, to create and submit a video educating their peers about the risks on the Internet and how best to stay safe when engaging in online activities such as texting, instant messaging, or using social networking sites. Contest categories mirror some of the largest challenges to being safe online: Being a Good Online Citizen, Using a Cell Phone Wisely, and Maintaining Your Online Privacy.

"We wanted to create a fun and relevant way for everyone, especially today's youth, to be involved in their own online safety," said Lynette Owens, director, Trend Micro's Internet Safety for Kids & Families  . "Last year, we were impressed with the level of engagement that teens in particular showed in this contest, and felt it was important to continue it.  We are honored to be joined this year by some of the world's leading organizations advocating for youth online safety. Together, we believe 'What's Your Story' aims to promote the positive use of the very thing we are trying to keep kids safe on."

What makes "What's Your Story?" unique is the peer review and crowd-sourcing aspect of the contest. Unlike other video contests that usually rely on static and subjective criteria, "What's Your Story" gets kids to stay actively engaged throughout the entire process. Only the highest-rated and most-viewed videos will be considered for prizes by the contest judges, so views and ratings can make a difference. By sharing their submissions and encouraging others to view and vote, kids become active participants in the education process.

According to the Pew Internet and American Life Project, 93% of US teens go online, and while much of the time they connect from home (89%), they are also connecting in other places such as school (77%), someone else's house (71%), and the library (60%). Mobile safety is another growing issue with 75% of 12- to 17- year olds in the US owning cell phones. With this increasing use by youth online in places other than home, more effective solutions to educate kids are needed so they can be smarter along the way.

To this end, "What's Your Story?" will award a grand prize of $10,000 to the winning entry, with special categories for schools and individuals who submit entries. This allows parents and schools to have an effective way to create positive dialogue with kids and offer an interactive learning tool, in the classroom, around the kitchen table, and to be part of the solution.

Contest winners will be announced in April.

To learn more about the contest and to submit a video, visit http://whatsyourstory.trendmicro.com  

Follow us on Twitter @WYS2011

Supporting Partner Quotes for the 2011 What's Your Story Contest

"We are delighted to be involved in the 'What's Your Story?' film competition. This is a great way for young people to learn about the safe and responsible use of technology in a creative, fun and positive way. Young people communicating to one another is a very powerful way to get messages across, and this is what these films can do."

Will Gardner, CEO, Childnet International

"Today's kids connect, create, and collaborate through media, so it's vital that we encourage them to behave responsibly and treat others with respect in this fast-paced digital world. The Trend Micro 'What's Your Story?' contest is a creative and interactive way to really engage kids in the online safety discussion, and empower them to think critically about what it means to be a responsible digital citizen. We're excited to once again be a part of the judging panel, and look forward to seeing just how inventive and educational the 2011 entries will be."

Linda Burch, chief education and strategy officer, Common Sense Media.

"'What's Your Story?' unleashes the creative energy of citizen film-makers in ways that are provocative, energetic and effective. We love that many of the videos produced as a result of this contest are not only informative but fun and effective. We're especially excited that so many young people have decided to participate."

Larry Magid, co-director, Connectsafely.org

"One of the most effective ways to educate teens is for them to learn from their peers.  Trend Micro's 'What's Your Story?' contest sets this dynamic up, enabling kids to learn about online safety and citizenship in a fun and entertaining way. Nothing is more important to Facebook than the safety of the people who use our service and we're proud to be part of this effort."

Andrew Noyes, manager, public policy communications, Facebook

"We are excited to again partner with Trend Micro for their 2nd Annual 'What's Your Story?' contest.  Having teens, parents and educators involved in developing these videos on Internet risks is a win-win for everybody involved. We were very impressed with the quality of last year's videos, and look forward to the creative and engaging ways teens will be expressing themselves again this year."  

Karen Barney, communications coordinator, Identity Theft Resource Center

"I am honored to be a part of the judging panel. I think about Internet Safety all the time, and I want to help other kids and families keep it in mind."

Jennifer Smart, The Jennifer Smart Foundation

"myYearbook devotes many resources in our efforts to maintain the highest level of safety measures for our members. We applaud Trend Micro's efforts in educating young people about online safety through its annual 'What's Your Story?' contest and look forward to seeing some great video submissions."

Don Eyer, Vice President of Safety, myYearbook

"'What's Your Story?" is ingenious because it gets the social web's most avid producers -- young people --  thinking about safe, constructive use while they're demonstrating, modeling, teaching and learning digital citizenship all at once."

Anne Collier, editor, founder and executive director, Net Family News

"Web Wise Kids has been educating teens, parents and educators about the importance of online safety for over 10 years.  We have reached more than 10 million students across the nation with our interactive programs and educational seminars.  We are honored to be a part of Trend Micro's "What's Your Story" video contest because learning to be a good online citizen,  using cell phones safely and maintaining online privacy is critical for today's youth.  Our hope is that collectively, we can encourage students to take what they have learned and be proactive in spreading the word of these very important messages."

Judi Westberg-Warren, president, Web Wise Kids

About Trend Micro Internet Safety for Kids & Families:

Founded in 2008, the mission of Trend Micro's Internet Safety for Kids & Families is to enable and empower kids, parents, teachers, and schools around the world to make the Internet a safe and secure place for today's youth. ISKF does this through a worldwide employee volunteer program, grants and donations to eligible organizations, strategic partnerships with organizations working to protect youth, educational programs, and a robust series of online tips and solutions for parents, educators, and youth. For ISKF's free Internet safety tips, tools and advice, visit: www.trendmicro.com/internetsafety.

About Trend Micro:

Trend Micro Incorporated, a global leader in Internet content security, focuses on securing the exchange of digital information for businesses and consumers. A pioneer and industry vanguard, Trend Micro is advancing integrated threat management technology to protect operational continuity, personal information, and property from malware, spam, data leaks and the newest Web threats. Visit TrendWatch to learn more about the latest threats. Trend Micro's flexible solutions, available in multiple form factors, are supported 24/7 by threat intelligence experts around the globe. Many of these solutions are powered by the Trend Micro™ Smart Protection Network™ cloud computing security infrastructure, a next-generation cloud-client innovation that combines sophisticated cloud-based reputation technology, feedback loops, and the expertise of TrendLabs℠ researchers to deliver real-time protection from emerging threats. A transnational company, with headquarters in Tokyo, Trend Micro's trusted security solutions are sold through its business partners worldwide. Please visit Trend Micro.com

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